1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the continuous production of edible coated pellets; and more particularly, to coated confectionery products.
2. Description of Related Art
Confections in globular form are typically manufactured having a solid center core such as nuts, fruits, such as raisins, or some other globular or pellet-shape which is coated with a layer of chocolate, cocoa, carob, yogurt or the like.
A commonly used coating process is a batch process known as panning, a process described by Minifi, B., Chocolate Manufacture, Chocolate, Cocoa and Confectionery, AVI Publishing Co., Inc., West Port, Conn. (1982). This is an inherently labor intensive, expensive process having a low production rate. Additionally, panning may require more than one cycle to get the desired coating coverage.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,470,831 and 4,032,667 disclose spraying apparatus for coating candy centers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,018 and 4,431,678 disclose dispensing molten chocolate over an irregularly-shaped candy center.
In processes to form coated, edible pellets it is often desirable and known to put a glaze coating over the initial chocolate, yogurt or carob coating. Such methods are known to be accomplished by similar means to coat candy as recited above. Additionally, it is known to pass pellets to be coated through an inclined cylinder-shaped apparatus containing the liquid glazing material. The coated pellets move from the top to the bottom during which time a glazing composition within the cylinder-type apparatus coats them. The glazed coated pellets are then fed to a conveyor belt where the glaze is dried.
Raisin Confections, The Manufacturing Confectioner, June 1990, pages 74-77 discloses the chocolate coating of raisins using panning procedures. After the coating the coated raisins can be glazed or polished with a finishing glaze. This is accomplished by returning the coated raisins to a clean pan and introducing polishing solution. Cold air is blown continuously after each glaze addition until the surface of the panned raisins is dried.
Minifi, B., Chocolate Manufacture, Chocolate, Cocoa and Confectionery, AVI Publishing Co., Inc., West Port, Conn. (1982) discloses chocolate compositions as well as chocolate panning to coat nuts and raisins. There is disclosed that an example process contains the stages of pre-glazing, or sealing the nut surface with a thin coating of chocolate, chocolate coating finish glazing of the product. A useful coating machine is disclosed as a Thomas Accela-Cota, published as a brochure by Thomas Engineering, Inc. Another coating and polishing equipment is disclosed in the brochure by Latini, Coating and Polishing Revolving Pans.
Useful coating compositions are known in the art. See for example Matz Cookie and Cracker Technology, Second Edition, pages 207-211. Other useful coatings are disclosed in literature provided by the Merckens Chocolate Company of Mansfield, Mass.